Category: Portland, Oregon

I was listening to the controversies surrounding clarklewis over a round of cocktails. The owners were the stars of Portland’s food scene until they divorced which resulted in two of their restaurants closing. Some thought clarklewis was too loud and too dark when it first opened, but there are still the fanatics who remain loyal and still frequent the restaurant’s supper events even with all the new choices cropping up in the area. It remains one of Sam and Jenny’s favorites, so they booked a table for the six of us our first night in Portland. I first reacted to the space because it used to be an old warehouse along Water Avenue. It reminded me of the small galleries that moved out of Manhattan and rented open spaces for less money in DUMBO, Brooklyn. I’ve always liked that unfinished industrial look. As soon as we were seated, I turned to look around me and I immediately liked the buzz. It wasn’t too loud and it sounded like everyone else was having a good time. The menu consisted of very simple choices. There were familiar salads and pasta dishes that already sounded good on paper. We decided to get several half orders of them to share with the entire table, but by the time they were served, there was hardly any sharing going around. We all wanted to claim our own.

The duck and parmesan salad was excellent. You can’t go wrong with fresh produce and good cheese peppered with small pieces of roasted duck. The endives were slathered with brown sugar which made them sweet, but at the same time very nutty. The fennel salad with the navel oranges and olives was by far my favorite. The bowl of clams was deliciously hearty. I was using the sausage-flavored broth as dip for the bread. If we didn’t run out of bread on the table, I would have been set for the night. The lamb chops were to die for. I had the same dish the previous night at Celilo, but my craving wasn’t fulfilled until we cleaned our plates. I found the broccoli an uninspiring accompaniment, however, but fortunately, Dave’s tagliatelle and Carmie’s beef stew in pasta filled us all up. A bottle of Italian wine was a good compliment to everything we ordered and our choices of desserts were the perfect end to a long, satisfying meal with friends.

clarklewis is at 1001 SE Water Avenue in Portland, Oregon. Call 503/235.2294 for reservations. They are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Related post/s:
Eating in Hood River, Oregon: Celilo

I figured as much, Ian said, after I told him I was from New York City. Each sushi on the menu was priced at $2. Two dollars! I’m used to paying $5 a piece and up to $11 for an otoro, so you can imagine the kind of gasp I let out that elicited such a comment from Ian, the sushi chef. We had three hours before our flight back to the concrete jungle, so Sam decided to take us to one of his favorite sushi places in Portland before driving us to the airport. Three of us sat at the sushi bar in the back and ordered the omakase with several kinds of sake. Ian performed the rest of the night.

Pine nuts gave the tombo tuna tartare more texture. Lotus root chips and endives were used to scoop them up. If sports bars served snacks like this, I’d be watching more sports. Next came the tuna and salmon carpaccio with finely chopped shiso leaf and a cute toasted garlic sliver on top. I was surprised at how the garlic gave a nice kick to the big pieces of sashimi. The amberjack was folded like a fortune cookie, served with chives and chili threads. Just a touch of sweet soy gave the fish its needed moisture. The salmon sushi was just salmon sushi and the yellowtail was just yellowtail, but that may be why Ian thought about making the next dish so complicated: he spiced up some octopus, wrapped it in seaweed, wrapped that in tuna and topped everything with tobiko.

When I thought we were done, the Dr. asked to taste the scallops. So Ian created a big roll for him while he indulged me with the most decadent shot of sake I’ve ever had–it had swimming oyster, uni and raw quail egg in it. (That was for the reader who told me to try oyster shooter the next time I get a chance.) As usual, we ended with a maki of shiso leaf to cleanse the palate, but Sam opted for the French toast with maple syrup and whipped cream. Sam thought he was also on vacation.

There was nothing sublime about the fish at Yakuza but everything was fresh and beautifully cut. Ian gave us his complete attention during our time at the sushi bar and made us visitors feel like there’s no reason to go back home. At less than $190 for all the fish we ate and all the sake we drank, even I couldn’t complain. Did I already say that the west coast is starting to become more appealing?

Yakuza is at 5411 NE 30th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. We walked in without reservations, but for busier nights, call 503/450.0893.

Related post/s:
Eating in Portland, Oregon: clarklewis

After a half-day of snowboarding for the first time in two years, we were famished. Next to the Oak Street Hotel was Brian’s Pourhouse. It came recommended by the front desk, but we decided to skip it after we noticed the TV at the bar. Across the street was Three Rivers Grill. We crossed to check out the menu but stopped halfway after we saw the large sign up front: “Buy one steak, get another free. Wednesday nights.” During our drive down from Mt. Hood, I remembered seeing a restaurant that looked nice, so I coerced the Dr. to walk a few more blocks to check it out. (Our legs were sore, so walking took some convincing.) As soon as we saw that there were lamb chops on the menu, we walked in Celilo.

We knew we wanted a local Pinot Noir. We only ordered half of the Elk Cove because we wanted to start with a dirty martini–the Dr.’s latest drink–and the pear-flavored champagne, described as “pure Oregon in a glass”. We started with half a dozen of the oysters. A year ago, there was a warning not to eat oysters from the Pacific Northwest. I haven’t heard any bad news since then but they were as salty and sweet as I remember them. The pear and walnut salad was hefty, just the way I like my salads. And the lamb? Much better than I expected. The chops came with braised shoulder, which made the dish more than perfect for winter. For dessert, we stuck with our usual pick, a tart tarte (ha!), a homemade combination of huckleberry filling and vanilla ice cream.

The service was nice. There’s just no other way to describe the attitude of food servers outside New York City. I can call them “slow”, but I know that’s unfair since New York is the only city I’ve been that’s in a perpetual hurry. Regardless of the place, when I ask for medium-rare, I expect medium-rare. Celilo fulfilled everything we asked for except the dirty in the Dr.’s martini, but at $104 for two including tip, I turn most of the Cia off. I play nice in return. The martini stayed clean.

Celilo Restaurant and Bar is at 16 Oak Street in Hood River, Oregon. We walked in without reservations, but during busy season, call 541/386.5710.

Related post/s:
Eating in Portland, Oregon: Yakuza